Wildekrans
wine claims
Terroir
Award
Those of Wildekrans wine estate near Bot River
have reason to raise their wine glasses and
celebrate, after Wildekrans won a Terroir Award
last week. Terroir has been the buzzword among
wine lovers for several years now. The basic concept is to discover wines that best reflect the
terroir in which they are produced. Wildekrans
won the Novare Trophy for SA Terroir Top Wine
Estate. The Wildekrans Chenin Blanc barrel selection 2010 was among the five top-scoring
wines of all the wines entered in the competition, as well as winner in the Walker Bay district,
while another Wildekrans wine received an
above-average rating. Seen here (from left) are
William Wilkinson (winemaker), Amanda Harlow (owner) and Braam Gericke (viticulturist
and farm manager) with their awards.

Honde- en kateienaars kan hulself op hoogte bring van die inhoud van die verordening.
deur die munisipale webwerf www.overstrand.gov.za te besoek, waar dit onder “Bylaws” geplaas is. Dit is ook by die plaaslike
biblioteke beskikbaar.
) Taking pets for a walk in the Overstrand
without a leash – and without cleaning after
them – could cost you dearly.
As of 1 August the Overstrand Municipality will be stepping up their enforcement
of the bylaws regarding pets.
Fines for contravention were recently increased, amended and approved by the Hermanus Magistrate’s Court. For more info, go
to www.overstrand.gov.za.

082 4444 329
FARMS & SMALL HOLDINGS
Potential Sellers call Pierre for a confidential
interview as there are such a demand for
Plots/ Small Holdings and Farms in the Real
Estate Market. That includes Fruit Farms &
Sowing Farms. Please call now, do not wait,
the Potential Buyer I have might be for your
property.

082 4444 329

AFFORDABLE OFFICE SPACE TO
LET AT A PRIME POSITION IN
KLEINMOND.
CALL André 082 7861 089

HOLIDAY ACCOMMODATION AVAILABLE
WITH ACTIVITIES FOR EVERYONE CALL
Pierre 0824444329 or CARLENE
087 150 4940 FOR A BOOKING. This can
include: Horse Riding trips in the veld or
ON THE BEACH (Now it is time for all your
lady’s who dreamt about a photo session
on horseback at sun set on the beach and this
does not exclude the men attacking the dunes
or a mountain route), EVERYONE IS
WELCOME;
“Paintball” make it a life time experience;

What about a “Four Wheeler”, Let’s brake away,
make it a family - thing and come and view our
beautiful environment.
THERE IS SO MUCH MORE TO CHOOSE
FROM, JUST CONTACT US FOR MORE
INFORMATION !!!
Why sitting at home ???
How Boring !!!
EVERYTHING IS HERE AT KLEINMOND
AND THE SURROUNDING AREAS.
DON’T LET TRANSPORT BE THE
PROBLEM FOR NOT CALLING US, WE
ORGANISE EVERYTHING FOR YOU !!!
YES, CALL 082 4444 329 OR
CARLENE 087 150 4940 NOW.

Book now for an exquisite evening
There is not a lot of time left
to buy your tickets to the event
of the year: the Cape Whale
Coast variety show and charity ball, hosted by the mayor
of the Overstrand, Nicolette
Botha-Guthrie.
This event, taking place at
the Arabella Hotel & Spa on 17
August, will be a black-tie, dinner-dance event featuring a
three-course meal, a music
concert with local artists, and
an exclusive auction including
a Stormers jersey.
It promises to be a night
filled with entertainment, and
all the funds raised will go to charities and
people in need throughout the Overstrand.
And everyone who buys a ticket stands a
chance of winning a night’s stay for two in
the Arabella Hotel & Spa’s presidential
suite, plus a full spa and golf package.
The winner will be announced on the
night.
Arabella is also inviting guests to stay
over for the evening at a special rate of only
R900 per person sharing.
The reason behind the big event is the creation of the Mayor’s Charity Fund, which

will benefit all local charities and individuals in need within the Overstrand region.
Tickets are sold to people and companies
on a first-come, first-served basis, so hurry
– there are only 200 tickets available! Many
have already been sold.
Some of the main sponsors for this huge
event are Arabella, Hermanus Times, Good
Hope FM, Creation Wines, Wildekrans Estate, Okasie, Whale Talk, Fricken Lacker,
Sharklady Adventures, Coca-Cola, Music
and Light For All Occasions, Die Skuur
Teater, High Season Farm and Checkers.

Tickets for the black-tie
evening cost R500 per person,
or R10 000 per table of 10 for
businesses who wish to support this charitable event.
Kim Maclean from Sharklady
Adventures
has
already
booked a full table for herself
and her friends to contribute
towards this good cause.
Said Dieter Odendaal, organiser of the event: “We express our gratitude to everyone who’s been supporting us
so far.
“It’s been truly amazing.
Guests can look forward to an
unforgettable night out.
“Don’t miss out!”
Tickets are available from all four Overstrand tourism offices, or from Dieter
Odendaal on 082 659 2318, Elize or Rene at the
mayor’s office at the Overstrand Municipality, or Esmé Bronkhorst on 072 472 4552.
Tickets can be booked by making an electronic funds transfer to Overstrand
Municipality, Absa Bank Hermanus,
cheque account number 322 000 003 5, reference number 30201592001 (followed by your
name and surname).

It’s off to the World Cup we go

Enjoy some
outdoor
adrenaline
Listen up if you’re game for an outdoor
adventure: online readers who enter
this
week’s
competition
on
www.bolandgazette.co.za have the
chance to win a zipline tour for four
people, worth R1 200, in the Overberg.
SA Forest Adventures is offering
four people the unique chance to see
the world outside Caledon from above
as they glide on ziplines from treetop
to treetop amid lush vegetation.
Towering above the ground, the zipline slides range from 8 to 15 metres
high, allowing adventurers to enjoy
the sights and sounds of a variety of
birds and animals.
The 12 platform slides vary in length
from a short 20 m zip, which can be enjoyed by children, to an astonishing
distance of 200 m.
The treetop slides feature a safe
breaking system so gliders can control
the speed at which they travel.
Apart from the zipline tours, SA Forest Adventures offers go-karting,
paintball, air-gun shooting and other
fun team-building activities under expert guidance.
For bookings, contact Clint or
Christo on 083 517 3635 or 082 787 2002,
or at christo@saforestadventures.co.za
or bookings@saforestadventures.co.za.
You can also point your browser at
www.saforestadventures.co.za.

Peter and Merrilee Berrisford are preparing to leave for Oxford tomorrow
(Wednesday), where the 73-year-old Peter will compete in the Grand Masters
Hockey World Cup.
The Berrisfords have been living in
Betty’s Bay for the last eight years, in
what used to be the family holiday
home. Peter, who qualified as a chemical engineer and has been involved in
various manufacturing businesses
over the years, has been a keen hockey
player since his student days.
“I used to play rugby,” he says, “but
with my slight build I was physically
hammered. I decide to switch to
hockey, which is not such a harsh
sport, and continued to play for more
than 50 years.”
Peter played club hockey throughout
his career, which took him as far a field
as Sasolburg, Los Angeles and Cape
Town. “I was the oldest player in the
Masters’ League in Cape Town, and we
hardly ever lost a game,” he says.
Peter Berrisford proudly displays his Grand Masters’ HockAlthough he hadn’t played hockey ey World Cup kit, with Merrilee sporting her supporter’s
for the last couple of years, Peter was shirt.
PHOTO: HEDDA MITTNER
immediately interested when he received an invitation from the captain of the university residences.
Cape Town Masters’ League Club to join the
“I don’t think I was chosen on merit,” Pesenior team for players of 70 years and over ter chuckles modestly. “They needed to fill
who will be participating in the Masters’ the team, and let’s face it – there are not that
League Hockey World Cup from 14 to 24 many over-seventies who can play hockey.”
August.
But Peter is up for the challenge, and he
This tournament takes place every two and Merrilee, being keen travellers, are lookyears, and every fourth year it is held in the ing forward to the trip and the experience
same country as the Olympic Games. Peter of a lifetime. In preparation, Peter has been
and his team mates will be competing jogging every day (“with a lot of walking in
against 15 nations, including the Nether- between,” he jokingly adds) and takes regulands, Germany, Italy, Wales, Scotland, Ja- lar hikes up the mountain to build stamina.
pan, Australia and New Zealand.
“He was making good progress losing a bit
This year’s tournament is hosted in the of weight until he went on a Zambezi fishing
historical university town of Oxford, and Pe- trip a few weeks ago,” Merrilee scolds. But
ter and Merrilee – who happens to be who weight and fitness issues aside – after 50
the chairperson of the Betty’s Bay Botanical years, the one thing Peter is sure of is that
Society – will be staying with the other mem- he can remember how to wield a hockey
bers of the South African team in one of the stick.
HEDDA MITTNER

Wise and energised

5 August
The Harbour Market happens on
Sunday from 10:00 to 14:00. Expect
handmade and home-made products
from the region, as well as live music.
If you have some great products to exhibit, contact Dieter on 082 659 2318
or email dieter@whalemail.co.za.

Whale Coast Conservation will visit Kleinmond with its travelling Sustainable Energy
Expo, funded by Lotto, on Thursday.
There is something for all ages. Ten great
hands-on exhibition stations will illustrate
the concept of energy, the different kinds of
energy, how we can harness – and save –
energy, and how we can be responsible with
this vital stuff. The day will end with a seminar at 17:00 on how to gradually convert to
affordable renewable energy.
The expo will run from 14:00 to 18:00 in the
Protea community hall, on the corner of Protea Street and Nemesia Avenue. Everyone
is welcome to attend – it’s free.

Tuesday 31 July 2012

News - Nuus

Kleinmond Gazette

3

Entertaining jamming
The Spontaneous Combustion Blues Band concept of “plugged-in” jamming delighted a lively audience of blues fans in the
intimate armchair setting
of the PeriScope Theatre
in Pringle Bay on Saturday night.
As with traditional New
Orleans street-corner jams,
attendees were treated in
close quarters to exuberant
improvisation knitted into a
number of classics by some
very accomplished,
funloving local bluesmen.
The band members do not
rehearse ahead of shows – all
members have careers in
other groups, keeping them
occupied – and go on stage
with three front men nominating songs to be played,
briefly explaining what they
have in mind. Getting
enough approving nods (not
necessarily from all band
members), they take off.
On Saturday night these
exchanges often included
short demo riffs of chord
progressions that, together
with the verbal exchanges,
contributed to the entertainment of both blues novices
and authorities present.

Spontaneous Combustion in action.
Driving proceedings on a
crystal-clear, professionally
configured rig were bassand rhythm-men Schalk
“Thunder Merwe” (Bed on
Bricks) and Pieter Heyns
(Mercury Blues Sessions),
with front men Jurg Human
(Die Boer Theatre), Sven
Blumer (CCR Tribute Band)
and Simon Orange (Blues
Broers) calling the shots.
Several sub-genres, ranging from urban to country,
acoustic to electric and
swinging to jazzy, were covered with aplomb, with the
Latino-influenced
“Texican” Señorita (Los Lonely
Boys) getting the crowd off
their seats and dancing.
Blues–rock was not neglected, and Hendrix’s Little
Wing flew listeners off

through the purple haze of
the electric ’60s. Material by
Ray Charles, Bob Dylan,
Willie Dixon, Jeff Healy and
Big Bill Broonzy was all
treated masterfully with the
unique quality that comes
naturally with “jamming”.
Local songs did not take a
back seat either, as proven
by the atmospheric Mr Fingers by Simon Orange himself. He also nominated the
pounding Electric Train by
the Blues Broers, infamously inspired by the Cape
Town station sign for the
Stellenbosch line – “to Bellville and beyond”.
The
organisers
urge
everybody to join the next
Spontaneous Combustion
session for a night of explosive blues jamming.

67 MINUTES OF TLC: The home-based carers
of Hawston Health & Welfare decided to celebrate Mandela Day by pampering the teachers of Sonstraaltjies, Busy Bees, Blommeland and Feetjieland crèches. This gave the
hard-working teachers the opportunity to put
their feet up for 67 minutes and be spoilt
with massages, manicures and pedicures.

While the teachers were being pampered,
one of the carers, Nazier Sadan, had his
hands full in keeping the children occupied.

VACANCY
BULLETIN
EXCITING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PERSONS WHO WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE

FISHERHAVEN CLEANUP: Denise Sampson of Fisherhaven rounded up 18 residents, armed
with plastic bags (which were donated by Tuffy Brands), to collect 18 bags of rubbish on
18 July. “We came together as a community to honour Nelson Mandela by giving 67 minutes
of our time to community service,” said Sampson. They also pulled out alien vegetation and
marked a hiking trail with donated poles. “We are proud of our village, and we all had a
wonderful time,” Sampson said.

Baboons a complex topic
PIA NÄNNY
When it comes to baboons, the Overstrand
area gives rise to so many scenarios that one
could formulate a dissertation question
around every corner.
This is what two anthropology students
from the University of Texas in San Antonio
found after they had spent two months in
the Overstrand area, trying to decide on
which baboon research projects they should
embark upon.
Nick and Amanda Elwanger were hosted
by Whale Coast Conservation (WCC) and
spent many days in the field watching the
baboons and working out the projects that
would most likely get funding.
Nick says the local ecosystem is unique,
and his aim was to find a group feeding
mainly on fynbos. He believes he found such
a group at Salmonsdam near Stanford, but
it was very difficult to get close to them.
Amanda wants to look at the possibility
of baboons living and flourishing in proximity to humans; her research is centred in the
Hemel-en-Aarde Valley.
Both of them must first return to Texas
to complete their studies and get funding,
and it is unlikely that they will be back
before early 2014.

However, at an open meeting at WCC’s office on Thursday, they gave some interesting insights into what they had observed
during their two-month stint.
They spoke about the number of young
ones in a troop and how they often create
the impression of a population explosion.
However, infant mortality is apparently
very high. They also mentioned the clear
lack of leadership in the Voëlklip troop.
“There is no male to lead, and the group
isn’t cohesive at all. The females are very
spread out, and this makes it hard for the
monitors to be successful,” they said. “Be
kind to the adult males. As obnoxious as they
might be, they serve an important role.”
Amanda also spoke about the way baboons
manage to manipulate baboon-proof bins.
She told the audience that baboons don’t
work together.
“You need to design a bin that one human
can open, but which would need two baboons
to do so.”
Nick and Amanda leave on Friday, but
they hope to be back eventually. “We can’t
cover the whole Overstrand and all the
issues – we need to focus. But hopefully our
presence places new focus on baboons in the
area, and will encourage other people to
come and continue their studies here.”

Service benefits: 13th cheque, employer’s contribution to the pension fund, housing
and medical aid allowance.
Requirements: Minimum educational qualification: Appropriate Call Centre
Management Certificate (NQF Level 4). Experience: Appropriate experience in a
Call Centre environment. Inherent requirement of the job: Ability to work
shifts. Competencies (knowledge/skills): • Excellent knowledge of GEMC
• Good leadership and supervisory skills • Good communication and interpersonal
skills • Computer literacy.
Duties (key result areas/outputs): • Supervise inbound and outbound
operations • Liaise with public regarding complaints and compliments • Train and
supervise staff • Plan a strategic roster for staff • Administrative duties • Handle
labour relations (disciplinaries and grievances).
Enquiries: Mr D Timm: 021 932-1341
Please submit your application for the attention of Ms A Ruiters
to the Director: Emergency Medical Services, Private Bag X24,
Bellville 7530.
INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS: Z83 forms (obtainable from any Government
department or www.capegateway.gov.za) must: Be completed in full, clearly reflect
the name of the position, name and date of the publication (candidates may use
this as reference), be signed, accompanied by a comprehensive CV, the names of 3
referees and certified copies of ID, driver’s licence and qualification/s. Applications
without the afore-mentioned will not be considered. Applications must be forwarded
to the address as indicated on the advertisement. No late, faxed or e-mailed
applications will be accepted. CV’s will not be returned. Excess personnel will receive
preference. Applications, which are received after the closing date, will not be
considered.
Further communication will be limited to shortlisted candidates. If you have not
received a response from the Department within 3 months of the closing date, please
consider your application as unsuccessful. It will be expected of candidates to be
available for selection interviews on a date, time and place as determined by the
Department.
As directed by the Department of Public Service & Administration, applicants
must note that further checks will be conducted once they are shortlisted and that
their appointment is subject to positive outcomes on these checks, which include
security clearance, qualification verification, criminal records, credit records and
previous employment.

P OS I T IV E A B O U T P E O P L E W I T H D I SA BI L I T I E S

The Western Cape Government is guided
by the principles of Employment Equity.
Disabled candidates are encouraged to
apply and an indication in this regard
would be appreciated.

Closing Date
24 August 2012
Human Communications C95099E

4

Leader - Hoofartikel

Kleinmond Gazette

Tuesday 31 July 2012

Column

It’s time for tourism to step up in the Overstrand

No leash? Pay up
To leash, or not to leash.
With the amended bylaws, pet owners will
have to think twice about adopting more fourlegged friends in future.
Your dog must be registered and spayed,
and you are forced to remove their faeces, or
else pay R200 for the first offence, and R400
for the second offence.
If you let your dogs run wild, your dogs can
be impounded.
Is this harsh? Or should pet owners be more
considerate towards our fellow neighbours?
Noise pollution is also a big problem. If
your dog barks for hours at a time, you might
also be in trouble.
Take care of your pets, love them, and stick
to the rules so that everyone can live in
harmony.

A few years ago I visited Riversdale as part
of a press junket. Riversdale had been
named as one of the finalists in the Town
of the Year competition.
It did not win the award, but the significance of the nomination not only enhanced
the profile of the town but also instilled a
sense of pride in its townspeople. The press
through its reportage further elevated the
status of the town. The invited press was
hosted by the town, with the municipality,
tourism sector and private enterprise playing prominent roles.
It is time that our tourism bureau instituted a similar initiative. Invite the press,
accommodate them at suitable venues,
feed them at participating restaurants and
take them on a sightseeing tour. We have
the penguin colony, Kogelberg hiking
trail, Hermanus cliffs, Kleinmond harbour
complex, our majestic dunes and the
Harold Porter Botanical Gardens, to name
a few. It would locate us as a must-visit region and put us on the map as a tourist
attraction.
The big cities have all the music festivals, the theatres, exhibitions and conferences. Bringing events of such magnitude
also carries related benefits, such as muchneeded employment and, more importantly, the exposure of locals to an aesthetic
appreciation of the arts. We have shown
that we are capable of handling huge happenings, such as the annual Big Blues Fes-

tival, Whale Festival and road races.
Many artists and musicians I have spoken to have expressed an interest in performing or exhibiting in the Overstrand.
A tourism bureau should not only be an
information centre or a facility that works
on projects irregularly; it should initiate
events on a routine basis. Enlarge the tourism arm of the region and source outside
talent and business. The community becomes aware of what is out there and does
not need to feel so isolated.
A downside to the blues festival was that
many of the audiences over the two days
were of a paler hue. We need to be inclusive
by possibly giving out complimentary tickets to the less privileged who show an interest in music, such as at schools, community
projects and homes for senior citizens.
The broader community needs to be reflected in the events as audience or participants. We in the Overstrand need to show
that we are marching in step with the rest
of the country, and that our social gatherings are indicative of the demographics of
the region.
A reader commented that maybe we
should adopt a project once every few
months. Most non-governmental organisations struggle to sustain themselves with
little or no support, and exist entirely on
public donations or by volunteerism.
It is a laudable idea, and obviously a distinct way forward. Let the relevant organi-

sation drive the initiative with the support
of local business, schools and churches,
and with free advertising. The revenue
garnered should be sufficient to keep an
organisation afloat, especially if the whole
community were to get involved. Each region could link it up with a major event,
with a percentage of the proceeds going to
the affected organisation.
The tourism bureau could also be a participant in the process. Tourism departments in other parts of the country and the
world take a proactive role in the social
and economic development of those specific regions.
We sell the region by connecting the people of the area with the rest of the world
through marketing our assets – our natural resources and ourselves.

Noise control – enough is enough Is the trophy ours?
Lately we often read about dogs and their behaviour that should and must be kept under
control.
One aspect that is hardly mentioned is the
way the Overstrand Municipality goes about
controlling the abnormal, irritating noise of
animals. At a social meeting not so long ago,
this topic caused much unruly emotion. I realised there are too many credible frustrated
people to let it just go by.
By law, noise nuisance is described as any
sound that disturbs or impairs or may disturb
or impair the convenience or peace of any person. “Animal” includes dogs, cats, birds and
poultry (Environment Conservation Act,
noise control regulations). No person may
keep a dog that causes an unreasonable disturbance to inhabitants of the neighourhood
(Overstrand Municipality bylaw).
Why is it that law enforcers can give a traffic
offender a fine on the spot (and a very steep
fine it is) but cannot address the unacceptable
noise of animals with the same intensity?
Why is it that a request to solve the problem
of noisy animals is so difficult? I believe some
cases drag on for as long as a year to be solved

in the court. Why? How do other municipalities go about this noisy problem? And internationally? Surely something must be done to
solve these problems significantly and satisfactorily when and as they are reported – not
a year later when annoyance with those involved runs out of control to the extent that
it gets “ugly”. If the cases are addressed with
satisfaction, within the law, the law enforcers
can quickly move on to other cases. Not only
will this way of dealing with a noise nuisance
give them more job satisfaction, but the community will be pleased and at ease with a job
done well according to the law. The law and
order will rule!
To help everyone who has suffered in the
past, who is having a problem at present, and
who will suffer in the future, please write
about your experience of the handling of noise
controlproblemstonoisenuisance@yahoo.com,
or to the paper if you wish. If you cannot email,
please drop your letter off or post it to Noise
Control, Poste Restante, Kleinmond. Your response is necessary to enhance our case.
Thank you.

With the Stormers and Sharks ending up in
the same Super Rugby semifinal, South
Africa was guaranteed a spot in the final.
The Stormers are not bringing a trophy
home, but the Sharkies could make us proud
yet. Do Gazette readers think the trophy will
come to South Africa?Absolutely! Everyone
who voted in our online opinion poll said yes.
But only time will tell when the match on
4 August gives the final verdict.
Pay a visit to www.bolandgazette.co.za to
vote in this week’s poll.

WORRIED RESIDENT

Column

The trials and tribulations of a trigger­happy troop
Crimes involving firearms are blessedly
rare in our corner of the universe, which
is not to say guns aren’t used here – rather
that their main deployment is recreational
(sadly often in shooting our close cousins,
the local baboons).
I write this as our transatlantic friends
are cursed by their umpteenth public shooting. The surprising thing to me is that it
surprises them over and over again. There
are such obvious causative factors, which
many of them admittedly recognise but
seem unable to control:
) there are far more guns than people in
the US;
) the biggest industry in the US (along
with drugs) is armaments;
) you can buy assault rifles with 30
rounds of armour-piercing bullets over the
counter, et cetera.
Add to this toxic mess the effect of fighting senseless wars against fanatic infidels

on naïve, vulnerable young minds and the
constant stream of TV and films in which
arguments are repeatedly settled in favour
of the better gun, and you’ve gone a long
way to explaining the above. And they also
spend trillions of dollars a year on their “defence force”, which never seems to defend,
but always to be attacking some oil-rich foreign country.
Sensible folk know that those who bear
firearms are a thousand times more likely
to be shot themselves than those who don’t,
and that domestic firearms kill infinitely
more family members than intruders.
A former neighbour of mine is a recreational shot. One Sunday he and a relative
were sitting on their stoep, the best part of
a kilometre from me, and, fuelled with the
wine of the land (brandy and cola), he fired
a shot through my 2 500-litre water tank.
The damage was minor, and after a cautionary wait I fixed it with epoxy.

Some months later the tank needed cleaning, and in a moment of folly I let myself
down through the small manhole on top,
armed only with broom and hose.
After the job was done, I suddenly discovered that it was impossible to hoist myself
up again through the manhole. As I tried,
my elbows spread automatically, leaving
me stuck.
After several repeats, I sat down for a
hard think. I was alone, out of earshot and
un-cellphoneable. I am not alarmist by nature, but I suddenly found myself calculating the odds of my neighbour repeating his
former target-shooting feat. “Fish in a barrel,” I thought grimly.
Spurred on by the resulting adrenaline
rush, I squatted directly under the manhole, arms straight up, and jumped madly.
I just managed to clear the edge, sticking
out my arms as I did (taking off large areas
of skin), and hung there before getting up

and dropping off on the outside, saved to
be here today to tell you about it.
Talking of stats: every time I see a police
car or ambulance howling down the road
I am reminded that every life saved by getting there a minute earlier is at the expense
of some hundred dead drivers and pedestrians. Peace!
2 fouriejh@mweb.co.za

Tuesday 31 July 2012

General - Algemeen

Kalfiefees­program

Letter

PBC has its say on the baboons
The Pringle Bay Conservancy and Baboon
Action Group has completed its baboon protocol document, and has also started introducing several of the important and urgent
matters arising from this document. Here follows a short report on these issues.
1. Refuse removal: on request of the Pringle
Bay Conservancy (PBC), the Overstrand Municipality (OM) has deployed a municipal employee for seven days a week at the transfer
refuse station at the entrance of Pringle. We
have also requested that this station be closed
with wire mesh as well as a self-closing gate.
We are currently awaiting a response from
the OM. All non baboon–proof municipal
refuse drums in the CBD will be adapted as
a matter of urgency. This also includes the
non baboon–proof bins at the beach parking
areas. The blue swivel drums at the beach
and point parking areas will be removed completely and replaced with signage indicating
the proper refuse removal procedures.
We have instructed the OM to make these
changes within 30 days. Failure to complete
all above-mentioned work will leave the PBC
no option but to report the OM to CapeNature
regarding “the feeding of a wild animal”.
Regarding the non baboon–proof bins supplied by the OM, and regarding Monday
refuse removal: we have addressed several
issues regarding this with both the OM and
residents. You are instructed to adhere to the
relevant laws and bylaws. Any resident not
complying will be reported and fined.
2. Feeding of baboons: we have been informed of several Pringle Bay households deliberately feeding baboons either inside or
outside their homes. Unfortunately the
names or plot numbers of these individuals
are not included with the information.
You are requested to inform us immediately
should you be aware of such actions. Please
post your information to the Pringle Bay Conservancy, PO Box 341, Pringle Bay. We do not
require your name!
3. PBC Baboon Monitor Project: this very

important project kicked off on 24 July. The
monitors include 28 local volunteers and 4
Working for the Coast employees.
The first day provided a lot of important
information regarding the dynamics of the
troop, especially their movements and their
response to the yellow bibs and paintball
guns. At this initial stage of the project the
PBC will be using the paintball guns (supplied by the OM) without the paintballs. The
initial response by the baboons has been very
interesting. Our adjusted mandate is as follows: deploy monitors in Clarence drive and
keep the baboons above this perimeter line.
Should this fail, follow the troop through the
residential area, allowing the troop to forage.
The paintball guns are only to be used
should the troop or individual animals approach homes. This is called adaptive baboon
training and will hopefully, with other
projects to be introduced, help to minimise
the conflict.
Urgent request: the PBC only has enough
funds to sustain this project for six weeks.
We also need three two-way radios, and
ideally need a sponsored bakkie with canopy.
This project is extremely important since the
second mandate of it is to collect very important data regarding the dynamics of the
troop. This information will allow the PBC
to make the correct decisions regarding actions to follow.
4. Awareness campaign: this is probably
the single most difficult task on our long list.
Let me remind you again that this is not a
baboon problem but a baboon problem
caused by the actions of humans. I can simply
not go into all the detail, but actions include:
relevant information to be distributed to all
Pringle Bay home owners and visitors; five
large CapeNature signs on baboons, as well
as human actions, to be erected in Pringle
Bay (sponsored by CapeNature and to be
erected within the next three weeks); additional human–baboon conflict posters and
pamphlets to be supplied to all Pringle Bay

businesses and the public on busy holiday
weekends; all the relevant information to
be supplied to all companies in the “holiday
home rental industry”, as well as the information supplied to all weekend visitors (in
rental homes); the distribution of a resident
and visitor guide informing individuals on
their responsibilities as caretakers of a biosphere reserve and conservancy village.
5. National Geographic Big Baboon
House: the PBC and several other conservation-minded organisations have helped to
expose the shameful activities of National
Geographic, NatGeo Wild and Aquavision.
Our actions, including the printed media,
radio and television, have helped to keep the
pressure on the responsible individuals, organisations and businesses. Our call to you
regarding the human–baboon conflict in
Pringle Bay (to provide letters to us and the
OM) has instigated the projects currently
introduced by the PBC. Therefore, please
kindly provide the PBC with letters to be
forwarded to National Geographic, NatGeo
Wild and Aquavision regarding the actions
of the responsible parties.
6. Negative comments on Pringle Bay in
the printed media (especially local), condemnation of the PBC and myself: the PBC
has tried to manage the publicity regarding
this issue in a positive manner.
However, uninformed individuals in other communities (and one individual in
Pringle Bay) have used this opportunity to
try and discredit Pringle Bay, our organisation and myself. The Pringle Bay Conservancy is “Proudly Pringle Bay” and will not
“not act” should any publicity from uninformed individuals be published or addressed. Several articles in recent weeks in
both the Overstrand Herald and Kleinmond
Gazette have angered Pringle residents and
must be addressed.
We kindly request that you support the
work and actions of the Pringle Bay Conservancy and join as a member. Funds
raised through this membership drive will
be used to address the human–baboon conflict in our town.
Please be advised that the PBC does not
form part of the Pringle Bay Ratepayers’ Association, and therefore requires its own

funds in order for this community organisation to fulfil its duties to the environment and
its members. As the only conservation-minded
community organisation on the ward committee for Ward 10, we are in the privileged position to be able to address conservation issues
in our area at this level.
As mentioned, we require three two-way radios and a sponsored bakkie with canopy for
our monitor project. We also require a huge
amount of printing (baboon awareness
material) to be done – please contact us should
you have printing contacts.
The Pringle Bay Conservancy must thank
the Pringle Bay Ratepayers’ Association, its executive committee and especially its chair, Mr
Graham Utton, for providing its full support
regarding this issue.
We must also credit Ward 10 Councillor Mrs
Lisel Krige for her contributions, as well as
Overstrand Municipality employees Mr Leon
Steyn, Mr Fanie Krige, Mrs Cecile Jonkheid
and Mrs Liezl Bezuidenhout. Credit should
also be given to the deputy mayor of our municipality, Ald Pieter Scholtz, for the best possible
act of municipal service delivery rarely received – a quick municipal response.
I sincerely hope that we will be able, with
our next correspondence, to credit more individuals from the Overstrand Municipality.

Pastor
The Lakeside Chapel, an un-denominational
church in Betty’s Bay, invites suitably qualified
persons with contactable references to apply for
the position of Pastor. For more information
contact: The Secretary, Lakeside Chapel, PO
Box 523, Betty’s Bay 7141 or e-mail:
ggreen@lantic.net. Closing date for
applications: 31 August 2012.

Correction
Last week the Kleinmond Gazette
reported that the number to dial if
you want to find out more about the
Ladies’ Fellowship group of the
Kleinmond Fellowship Church is
028 271 3324. We apologise for the error. The number to dial is
028 271 4096.

Loans up to
R100 000 to
all government
and municipal
workers.
Blacklisted
welcome.
Consolidations
also available.
Please call
Shireen on
084 855 2767.

“I like T-bone steaks, because they are in the shape
of Africa.” –Desmond Tutu, Patron of National Braai
Day. National Braai Day (also known as Heritage
Day) is celebrated on 24 September every year.
Jan Braai, real name Jan Scannell, started this whole
thing off five years ago, and has since braaied with
thousands of South Africans. So he knows his sparerib from his rib-eye. For a lot of men a book with
braai recipes would be like having to ask for directions – but for those of you who haven’t yet mastered
the techniques of a perfect braai, or want to pick
up a tip or two, this book starts off with the know-how
to braai a perfect steak and then moves on to lamb
chops, curried sosaties, the most decadent chicken
burgers, pork ribs, potjies, rack of lamb, braai staples like braaibroodjies, and even a couple of desserts. Here are a few of Jan’s braai tips. . . Gas
is Afrikaans for a guest at your braai, not something
you braai with. Nothing beats a real wood fire. Try
never to braai with indigenous wood – alien vegetation like rooikrantz and blackwattle drink lots of
ground water, and besides, it feels good burning
Australian rubbish. Smoke flies to pretty people, so
send them to the kitchen to make salad. A cow
must only be killed once; do not braai your steak
until the flavour is dead. ) Die boek is ook in Afrikaans beskikbaar: Vuurwerke.

White steenbras
take a bite
ALTHOUGH the weather wasn’t playing
ball recently, a number of hardy anglers
have reported landing white steenbras
between four and six kilos from a
number of popular local venues.
On Macassar beach, Attie Stander of the
Strand was fishing near the Eerste River
mouth with four of the local Macassar
“manne” using bloodworm as bait when he
and another angler had strikes simultaneously. He landed a five-kilo white steenbras,
and the other a four-kilo stenbras.
That evening two small kob and a number
of dassie were caught in Melk Bay.
The kob were undersize and returned to
the water.
Willie Byleveldt, who regularly fishes the
Betty’s Bay area, reported that there were
two nice-size white steenbras landed at Aasbankies at the weekend before last.
He added that local angler Jan Jesperson,who was fishing with wonderworm, also caught a galjoen and a 4,5 kg steenbras
from “Die Been”.
The very low tide last Monday morning
was ideal for scratching around for wonderworm in Betty’s Bay and Hangklip.
Anglers who fish with wonderworm salt
half the wonderworm they collect to use at
a later stage, and use the rest at high tide.
Wonderworm is an excellent bait for galjoen, white steenbras and musselcracker.

:Attie Stander of Strand with a fine white steenbras caught at the Eerste River mouth on Macassar
beach using bloodworm as bait.
During the weekend before last, the break
in the weather allowed boats that launched
at Smitswinkel Bay to fish at Cape Point.
Most boats reported good catches of snoek,
and one of the skippers reported that although the water was clear there were
plenty of baitfish to keep the snoek around
for long periods.
The Gordon’s Bay Boat Angling Club’s
unders and overs fishing competition was
won by the under-50 teams for the first time
since the competition’s inception.
The SA National Inshore Boating Competition, which commenced in Kleinbaai on
Wednesday, finished on Saturday.
Western Province was represented by
two teams at the competition – a blue team

and a red team. The blue team comprised
Daniel Hughes (captain), Louis Bekker and
Peter Delano. The red team consisted of
Mike Pululla (captain), Mark Truter and
Gus Rautermann.
With the present weather pattern there
should be good snoek fishing from the “ou
snoek gronde”. This snoek fishing venue is
reached by steering straight out of Gordon’s Bay harbour, running parallel with
the mountain.
There is usually bird life in the area, and
the snoek shoals can be easily located on
the echo sounder. There are also usually a
number of boats present that know the exact location.
I was sad to hear about the death of Paul

(Whitey) Fouche, a well-known local businessman and a friend who for several years
was the owner of the very successful wholesale fish factory in the Strand.
Besides being a top fishmonger, he was
possibly the best boat skipper the Strand
has ever known.
Whitey’s knowledge of local, Namibian
and international long-lining and trolling
was legendary.
He will be sadly missed by all who knew
him, and I hope his family will keep up the
good work.
) For all your reel repairs and services
contact Art on 021 854 3831.
Send your fishing news and photos to
bjridgway@telkomsa.net.